The Phlebotomine sandfly fauna (Diptera: Psychodidae) of Kenya

Abstract

Visceral and cutaneous leishmaniases are endemic in some parts of Kenya, where they are transmitted byphlebobotomine sandflies of genus Phlebotomus. This review is a compilation of the currently known distributionof phlebotomine sandflies in the parts of Kenya that have been studied, from the time sandflies were firstreported in the country. So far 48 species of sandflies have been identified falling in the genera PhlebotomusRondani & Berte and Sergentomyia Franca & Parrot. Genus Phlebotomus in Kenya is represented in fivesubgenera, namely Phlebotomus, Larroussius, Synphlebotomus, Paraphlebotomus and Anaphlebotomus. GenusSergentomyia has the largest number of sandflies, and is represented in four subgenera, namely Sergentomyia,Sintonius, Grassomyia and Parvidens.

Keywords

• Distribution
• Kenya
• Leishmania
• Phlebotomus
• Sergentomyia